Home > One of the more decorative mastheads of the 18th century...
Click image to enlarge 723920
Show image list »

One of the more decorative mastheads of the 18th century...



Item # 723920

May 17, 1798

INDEPENDENT CHRONICLE & UNIVERSAL ADVERTISER, Boston, May 17, 1798

* Nice masthead engraving
* 18th century America

If you are looking for a handsome American newspaper of the 1700's which is displayable & priced reasonably, this is one of the best. This title features one of the more decorative mastheads of the era.
Complete in 4 pages, never-trimmed margins, some tiny binding holes along the spine, a little light foxing, generally in very nice condition.

AI notes: The masthead of the Independent Chronicle & Universal Advertiser in the 1790s was considered attractive and authoritative for its era, relying on strong typographic design rather than illustration. It typically appeared in bold, all-capital serif type, carefully spaced across the top of the front page, often framed by simple horizontal rules that gave the title visual weight and balance. Unlike later 19th-century newspapers, it featured no pictorial emblem, reflecting late-18th-century printing norms and the paper’s serious political purpose. The prominence of the word Independent conveyed its partisan identity, while Universal Advertiser emphasized its role as a commercial marketplace. Collectors today value this masthead for its clean proportions, restrained elegance, and classic Revolutionary-era aesthetic, which instantly situates the paper within the early Republic.

Category: American